Supergirl Pays Homage To A Recent Superman Story in Trailer For “Ace Reporter”

It’s still a few weeks out, but the trailer for April 24’s episode of Supergirl gave fans a lot to be eager for.

The episode will guest star iZombie‘s Rahul Kohli as Lena Luthor’s ex-boyfriend, who’s in National City to make a big splash with his new technology…which may turn out not to be so great.

Jack Spheer is a charismatic tech genius who has spent decades working on a medical innovation that will eradicate major illnesses and change the face of the world – if it works. He will enter the series when he comes to National City to present it to the press — including Kara and Snapper Carr — but in the comics,an industrial accident transformed Spheer into the villain known as Biomax, who existed basically as a cloud of chemical smoke able to possess others’ bodies.

All the while, though, fans are treated to imagery of Supergirl’s secret potentially being revealed to the world — or at least to Lena.

The image, meanwhile, as seen above, is remarkably reminiscent of the “outing” of Clark Kent, a story that took place in 2015 in DC Comics.

When Clark Kent’s clothes were hanging from him in tatters, revealing the reporter as the Man of Steel to anybody who might look at him, a photo was snapped. Ultimately, Lois Lane used that image to reveal Superman’s secret to the world, believing she was helping him avoid being blackmailed by a villain who knew his true identity.

With the clothes damaged, the “S” shield on display and a glasses-free Kara looking straight at the camera, it seems as though somebody on the set of Supergirl was taking notes when they read the Gene Luen Yang/John Romita, Jr. story.

It’s unlikely that Kara’s identity will be revealed to the world at large, of course, but after the dumb luck of Martian Manhunter helping Kara convince Cat Grant last season that she wasn’t really Supergirl, it seems unlikely that same trick will happen twice — especially with someone like Lena Luthor, who’s not only smart, but recently was announced as returning as a season 3 regular.

All of this will seemingly happen while Kara is dealing with trying to figure out a new path forward for herself as a reporter now that she’s been fired at CatCo.

“That’s actually been very important to us, especially in the times we now find ourselves living in; we’re one of the few shows on television that actually has a journalist as a lead character,” showrunner Andrew Kreisberg told a group of journalists at a recent Supergirl screening. “We really get a chance to talk about the importance of journalism, and the importance of journalism ethics, and how important [it is to have] the objective truth be out there now.”

More Supergirl news:

• Is Lynda Carter Playing a Durlan on Supergirl?
• [SPOILER] Dies in Supergirl’s “Distant Sun” Episode
• Supergirl/The Flash Musical Crossover Soundtrack Now Available
• Supergirl: Lena Luthor Promoted to Series Regular for Season 3

Supergirl airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. “Ace Reporter” will debut on April 24, 2017.